Happy Birthday, your Majesty

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took time out from a busy Parliamentary siting yesterday to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of Her 90th Birthday. Here’s Annastacia’s statement in full”

On behalf of Members of Parliament I pay tribute today to Her Majesty the Queen who has reached another milestone – her 90th Birthday.

And on behalf of all Queenslanders, I wish the Queen many happy returns and our very best wishes for her special day and celebrations.

Over successive generations, the Queen has been an inspiration for many Australians who admire and hold her in such high regard.

Her Majesty has been a regular and welcomed visitor to our great State – the State of Queensland.

Her Majesty has been part of some of the most significant moments in our history –

the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982

Expo ’88 in Brisbane and the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach;

for CHOGM at Coolum and the opening of the Roma Street Parklands, and of course, her heartfelt visit in 2011 in the aftermath of the devastating floods.

What an honour it would be for Her Majesty to open our next Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Her Majesty continues to devote her life to public duty and service, and in that regard she is a dignified example for all of us.

Her extraordinary reign has had an extraordinary contribution to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change – and dare I say political change.

Her Majesty has ruled longer than any other Monarch in British history.

There have been 13 Premiers of Queensland under her reign.

I can also confirm – following a request from the Governor, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC – the life-size statue of Her Majesty will move from Queens Place to a new permanent home at Government House.